Travel tip: 100 yen shop solves the “What do I do with my trash?” problem visitors face in Japan

A clever solution to one of the biggest annoyances about traveling in Japan.

There’s a paradox that just about every foreign traveler notices when they come to Japan. There’s hardly any litter on the streets, but at the same time, there are hardly any trash cans.

“What does everyone do with their trash?” is a common question from first time visitors, and the answer is that most people carry it home with them, or, often, they simply don’t create “trash” until they get return home. Japan, in general, isn’t so big on eating and walking, so usually when people pick up food to go, they won’t be eating it until they get back to their office or home.

But things are different when you’re travelling, popping in and out of take-out fast food joints or convenience stores to keep yourself fueled during a full day of sightseeing (and really, in Japan the awesome convenience stores are a sightseeing destination unto themselves). Before long, you’re likely to have a half-dozen wrappers, boxes, or bags that held your snacks, but nowhere to throw them away. So here’s a solution to that problem that costs less than a buck.

While it’s not as internationally famous as Daiso, Can Do is yet another chain of 100 yen stores in Japan. The greatest thing we’ve found at Can Do in recent memory is this portable trash bag holder, which, like all items at Can Do, costs just 100 yen (US$0.89).

That incredibly low price gets you not only the compact holder that keeps everything nice and organized, but also a roll of 12 trash bags that you can easily pull out one at a time through the holder’s opening.

The holder is small enough that it’ll easily fit inside your tote bag, backpack, or whatever other travel bag you’re carrying with you while sightseeing. When you’ve got messy trash, simply peel off a trash bag, toss your garbage in it, tie it up, and carry it back to the hotel.

▼ If you’re staying in Japan for an extended period of time, or simply expect your trip to be particularly messy, 36-bag refills (split between three rolls) are also just 100 yen.

Heck, even when it’ time to leave Japan, the holders are handy. Keeping one in your car, for example, is a much more elegant way to manage in-vehicle trash than simply having a couple of loose bags floating around the back seat.

So while there are no doubt plenty of place you want to go on your trip to Japan, make time to swing by Can Do too, to help keep yourself from getting stressed and Japan’s streets from getting dirty.